Apparatus for loading pressurized containers



J. E. AYRES oct. 2s, 195s APPARATUS FOR LOADING PRESSURIZED CONTAINERS n 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed may 1o. 1954 n nuwik .111,01

INVENTOR JOHN E.. AYRES Oct. 28, 1958 J. E. AYREs APPARATUS F013 LOADING PRESSURIZED CONTAINERS Filed May 1o, 1954 4 sheets-sheet '2 LN-F -1 km lNvEN'roR JOHN E. AYERS d ATT RNEYS J. E. YREs U 2,857,937 APPARATUS FOR LOADING PRESSURIZED CONTAINERS .l V 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 oct. 2s, 195s Filed May 10, 1954.

s. R Y 0 s u T E ,E MfR Y N ci W M M #T IM .T A Z o H J m T Y C MaX/ B o 334 c APPARATUS FOR LOADING PREssURIzED CONTAINERS Eyed May 1o, 1954 J. E. AYRES Oclt. 28, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4` wha.

INVENTOR JOH N E. AYRES United States Patent @fine 2,857,937 Patented Oct. 28, 1958 APPARATUS FOR LOADING PRESSURIZED CONTAINERS John E. Ayres, Mountainside, N. J., assigner, by direct and mesne assignments, to Oil Equipment Laboratories, Incorporated, Elizabeth, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 10, 1954, Serial No. 428,449

11 Claims. (Cl. 141-20) The present invention relates to apparatus for hydraulically loading pressurized containers with propellants or with the commodities to be dispensed.

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine for hydraulically loading -containers for dispensing commodities such as insecticides, cosmetics, shaving soap or the like with a propellant in liquid form. Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for loading such containers with a propellant without the necessity of carrying out the loading operation at low temperatures.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for hydraulically loading containers for such cornmodities with accurately measured amounts of a propellant in liquid form to eliminate wastage and loss of the propellant, which is expensive. This also insures proper functioning of the container in the dispensing of the cornmodity.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent and best understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a front View of a loading machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are front views of the machine shown in Fig. 1, with parts of the machine in different operating positions;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a displacement head for the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig 7 is a section View taken along the line 7-7 of Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a section view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 9 is a section view taken along the line 9-9 of Fig. 1.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated and de scribed herein is a machine for hydraulically loading a container of the pressurized dispensing type with a propellant such as uorochloromethane or ethane (commercially known as Freon). However, it will be understood that such a machine may also be utilized for loading the container with the commodity that is to be dispensed. In the operation of the machine, the propellant is maintained in liquid form by keeping the pressure on the propellant sufficiently high to prevent vaporization. As will be pointed out hereinafter, the hydraulic pressures required to carry out the filling operation are obtained through the medium of the liquid propellant.

The maintenance of the propellant in liquid form also has other important advantages such as the elimination of refrigeration equipment. This makes it economical for a producer of a commodity to till and load pressurized containers in his own plant.

Referring now to the drawings and, in particular to Figs; lthrough 4, there is a frame 10. The frame 10 includes two spaced rails 11 and 12 which extend in a vertical direction from a bedplate 13.

Two members, an upper slide 14 and a lower slide 1S, are slidably mounted one above the other on the rails. The slides 14 and 15 are vertically reciprocable on the rails and the movement of the lower slide is limited by two adjustable stops 16 and 17 which are respectively positioned above and 4below the lowerslidle.

The stops 16 and 17 may be in the form of bars extending between the rails and they may be connected together so that they can be adjusted on the rails as a unit for controlling the position of the lower slide during the operation of the machine. As will lbe seen hereinafter, such adjustment of the stops permits the machine to be set without difficulty for the loading of containers of different heights.

A displacement cylinder 18 is mounted on the lower slide and is movable therewith. The displacement cylinder contains a displacement rod or ram 19 which extends beyond the upper end of the displacement cylinder and is connected to a bracket 20 onthe upper slide 14. Movement of the upper slide is transmitted to the lower slide through the displacement rod in moving the lower slide between the upper and lower stops.

The displacement cylinder normally contains a supply of a propellant or other material against which the displacement rod exerts pressure when it is moved downwardly relative to the displacement cylinder. To maintain the supply of the propellant in the displacement cylinder, the displacement cylinder 18 is connected to a source of the propellant in liquid form (under pressure) through a conduit 13a and a check valve 18b (see Fig. 1). The check valve 1811 is arranged so that it will automatically open and permit the propellant to I'iow into the displacement cylinder under the pressure exerted on it when the pressure within the displacement cylinder is less than the pressure acting on the propellant. However, when the pressure in the displacement cylinder exceeds the pressure of the propellant, the check valve automatically closes and prevents increased pressure from within the displacement cylinder being transmitted to the source of the propellant. In normal operation, the check valve closes when the displacement rod is moved downward in the displacement cylinder on its work stroke and opens when pressure is released from the displacement rod at the end of its work stroke.

A displacement head, indicated generally at 21, is threaded into and closes the lower end of the displacement cylinder 18. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the displacement head 21 includes an externally threaded body portion 22 having a bore 23 extending therethrough. A valve mechanism,indicated generally at 24 (hereinafter called the machine valve) is located in the bore and normally remains closed against the pressure, of the liquid propellant in the displacement cylinder. As will be described hereinafter, the machine valve is opened hydraulically when the pressure on the liquid propellant in the displacement cylinder is increased by downward movement of the displacement rod in the cylinder.

The machine valve includes a valve body in the form of a sleeve 25 which is fitted into the bore 23 of the displacement head. If desired, the Valve body may be formed integrally with the body portion 22 of the displacement head. The sleeve 25 contains a plunger 26 which is movable therein. The lower end of the plunger 26 is connected to a valve stem 27 which extends through a centrally apertured valve seat 28 on the interior of the sleeve 25. The valve seat 28 is formed by an inwardly extending annular iiange or shoulder on the sleeve 25 and has an inclined lower surface which engages with a washer 29 of resilient material on the Valve stem when the machine valve is closed.

When the machine valve is closed, an annular shoulder 27a, which may be termed the primary area, on the valve stem ts into the opening in the valve seat and is exposed to the pressureV ofthe liquid rpropellant Within the displacement cylinder. Clearance, as indicated at 30, is provided between the plunger 26 and the interior ofthe sleeve and'permits theliquid propellant to pass through the sleeye'to the valve seat.-

Beneath theptwasher 29', there is an enlarged or headed portion 31 olf-cylindrical shape of the valve stem which makes a sliding fit for a short distance with the opening in the sleeve at this point. An enlarged opening 31a is formed in the sleeve at its `lower end and the enlarged portion 31 of the valve stem is located within the enlargedl opening in the sleeve when the machine valve is fully open. The enlargedopening in the sleeve thus provides a passageway along the sides of the enlarged portion ofthevvalve stem through which the liquid propellant can ow when the machine valve is open.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the force initially requiredA to keep the machine valve closed need only be suflicient to counteract the hydraulic pressure of the liquid propellant in the displacement cylinder acting on the primary area 27a of the valve stem. .7l-Iowever, once the force tending to hold the machine valve closed has been overcome and the washer on the valve stem has been moved away from the valve seat, the effective force acting to move the valve stem downward to open the valve is increased materially by the increase in the area on which the fluid pressureV acts. As will be described hereinafter, the increased force is utilized by other forces which oppose movement of the machine valve stem after its initial movement.

Apin 32, extending crosswise of the plunger, projects through slotted openings 33 in the sides of the sleeve and -engagement of the pin 32 with the ends of the slotted openings limits movement of the plunger and machine valve stem relative to the sleeve. A coil spring 34 ,surrounding .the sleeve is interposed between a shoulder on the Valve body and the ends of the pin which project beyond the sides of the valve body. The spring 34 normally urges the plunger upwardly and holds the machine -valve closed against the pressure acting on the primary area of the valve stem.

A sealing device 35 is threadably attached to the lower face of the body 22 of the displacement head and has an opening extending therethrough which communicates with the enlarged opening at the lower end of the sleeve 2S. The sealing device includes an inner ring or collar 36 locatedl inside of an outer ring or collar 37. The outer collar 37 has an inturned lange 37a which holds a washer 38 of resilient material in place between the y inner and outer collars.

The sealing device ts over and engages with the exterior of a valve 39 in a container 46 when the displacement cylinder has been moved to its lower position.

The washer 38 and theinner collar 36 are movable relative to the outer collar 37 and a spring 36a acting on the inner collar 36 urges the washer and the inner collar into engagement with the retaining flange 37a on the outer collar. This arrangement permits the washer and the inner. collar to move relative to the outer collar when the sea-ling device is brought into engagement with the container valve and prevents damage to the sealing washer. It also compensates for variations due to manufacturing tolerances in the height of the particular container being filled.

The container valve 39 may be of any suitable type and communicates with the interior of the container. The container valve illustrated has a body portion which projects beyond the top of the container and extends into the sealing device on the displacement head to engage with the sealing washer. The upper end of an operating member or valve stem 41 projects beyond the ytopof the Valve body and carries a washer 42 of resilient materialat its lowerY end. The washer 42 is normally held in sealing engagement with a centrally apertured valve seat 43'by a spring 44:

When the sealing device 35 in the displacement head is in sealing engagement with the container valve, the top of the valve stem 41 is positioned beneath but in 'spaced relation to the lowerend of the headed portion 3l of the machine valve. Thus, increase of the uid pressure in the cylinder upon downward movement of the displacement rod in the displacement head will first move the washer of the machine valve away from-its prior to bringing the end of the machinevalve into engagement with the top of the valve stem 41 in the container valve. This permits the pressure in thedisplacement cylinder to act on an increased area of the machine valve and continued downward movement of the machine valve stemwill then-cause the machine valve to depress the valve stem of the container valve against the force .of its closure spring 44-to open the container valve at the same time the machine valve ,is opened.

When the container valve is fully open, the machine valve is also opened with the headed portion 31 of the machine valve stem being positioned in the enlarged openingat the end of the sleeve of the machine valve. Under such conditions, the interior ofthe container-40 communicates with the interior of the displacementfcylinder through the machine. valve and the` container valve and the propellant can flow freely from the displacement cylinder into the container.

As shown best in Fig. 2, there is a bracket 46ex- 'tending rearwardly from the upper slide 14, The bracket d6 is connected by a threaded member 47 to a piston in a double acting, electrically controlledair cylinder 4S. The air cylinder 48 is mounted onthe adjustable stops 16 and 17 and is located at therear of the frame 10. A switch 49 for reversing. the operation of the air cylinder is mounted on a brackett50 carried on the rear of the lower slide 15. A platey 51 is adjustably carried on the threaded member 47 to engage with and operate the switch 49Vwhen. the upper slide and the displacement rod have been moved-to the downward limit of their stroke. Thev operation of the switch 49 automatically reverses the action-of theair cylinder and causes the piston in the air cylinder toV be moved upwardly. This rst moves the upper slide-.and the displacement rod upwardly andthen moves the lower slide and displacement cylinder upwardly. A limit-ott switch 52 carried by the stops 16 and {17"is positioned Iabove the upper slidefv14- and is actuated by the upper slide when the slide and displacement rod reach the upper limit of'their stroke.V Upon actuation of the limit-off switch a complete cycle of operation of the machine has been completed and the-machine will stop in rest position where the loaded container can be removed and a new container put-inf-.place for loading.

As shown best in Fig. 9, a linkage 53 is locatedybeneath the displacement cylinder in position Vtoibe-,f-engaged by a container placed beneath the displacement cylinder for loading. insertion of the containerbeneath the cylinder moves the linkage 53 rearwardly and actuates a starting switch 54 which causes thepiston in the air cylinder to be moved downwardly. The vdownward movement of the air cylinderpistonI carries-the upper slide 14 `and the displacement rod downward.J rl'he lower slide 15y and the displacement cylinder mounted thereon are carried downward with the displacemcntrod until the lower slide strikes the lower 4adjustable stop 17.

When the lower slide strikes the lower stop. 17, its downward movement is stopped and the` displacement head is then in engagement with the container andthe sealing member is in engagement Withthe container valve. Continued downward movement of thetqupper slide and displacement rod increases the. pressure on the liquid propellant withinV the displacement cylinder. The increased pressure .opens the. machine. vvalve. and

the container valve is opened by the downward movement `ofthe machine valv'estem so that the liquid propellant can then ow through the machine Valve and the container valve into the container.'

It will `be understood that other suitable mechanisms may be utilized for moving the displacement cylinder into engagement with the container and the container valve and thereafter moving the displacement rod downward in the displacement cylinder. For example, the actuating mechanism may be located above and in line with the displacement cylinder and rod if desired and in such event the upper slide may be eliminated.

To insure that there will not be a drop in pressure that would tend to cause the liquid propellant to vaporize in passing through? the machine valve and the container valve, the flow area of these two valves is made as nearly the same as possible. As previously indicated, the spring 34 which normally holds the machine valve closed must be of sufficient strength to resistthe hydraulic pressure acting on the primary of the valve stern as a result of the pressure in the displacement cylinder required to maintain the propellant in liquid form.

The adjustment of theswitch contacting plate 51 on the threaded member 47 controls the downward or work stroke of the displacement rod in the displacement cylinder and provides a means for accurately controlling the amount of the propellant that is forced into `the container. It will be understood that the amount of the propellant that is forced into the container for a given movement of the displacement rod may also be varied by using rods of diierent diameters for containers having dilerent volumes. However, it is preferable to use a displacement rod that will have a relatively long stroke in order to obtain the most accurate filling in any given case. y

In this connection, it should be noted `that in order to obtain the desired accuracy in thejamount of propellant that is forced into the container, it is important to keep the propellant in liquid form as it flows from the displacement cylinder into the container. By maintaining the propellant in liquid form, the amount of propellant placed in the container has a direct relationship to the stroke of the displacement rod whereas this would not necessarily lbe true if the propellant is partially Vapor and partially liquid.

When the air cylinder piston reaches the' end of its downward stroke, pressure is released from the displacement rod in the displacement cylinder and the displacement rod `then moves upwardly. The spring 34 acting on the machine valve may then close the machine valve and thus, move Vthe machine valve stem 27 out of engagement with the container valve stern permitting the valve spring 44 of the container valve to close the container valve. The closing of the machine valve and the container valve by their respective springs takes place before the displacement rod has reached the end of its upward stroke in the displacement cylinder and before the displacement head is disengaged from the container valve. Thus, when thedisplacernent head is disengaged from the container, both the machine -valve and the container valve are closed and the propellant cannot escape from the container or displacement cylinder. This prevents loss or wastage of the propellant, which is a fairly expensive material.

To summarize, the operation of the machine is as folio-ws: After propellant under a` pressure sufficient to keep it in liquid form has been. admitted to the displacement cylinder and the displacement cylinder is in its rest position (fully raised), as shown in Fig, 1, the container 4,0 having a valve 39 is inserted between a pair of guides 57 which position the container with the valve therein beneath the displacement head. The placing of the container in this position actuates the starting switch through the linkage 53 and the air cylinder op- 6 erates to move the upper and lower slides downwardly relative to the frame of the machine. i

The downward movement of the lower slide and the displacement cylinder is limited by the lower stop to a. position where the displacement head will be brought into engagement with the top of the container without damage to the container and a seal will be made between the displacement head and the container valve, as is shown in Fig. 3. In this position, the machine valve and the container valve are both closed. The air cylinder continues to move the upper slide and the displacement rod carried thereon downward, and the downward movement of the displacement rod in the displacement cylinder increases the pressure o-n the liquid propellant in the displacement cylinder,

The increase in the pressure on the uid propellant is exerted against the primary area of the machine valve stern and when the force of the machine valve spring is overcome the machine valve stem moves away from its valve seat. The area on which the pressure acts isthen increased and the machine Valve stem is moved downward and into engagement with the container valve stem until both the machine valve and the container valve are fully open. When these valves are thus opened, the liquid propellant is forced into the container under pressure of the displacement rod.

When the displacement rod reaches the downward limit of its stroke (as shown in Fig. 4) and the container has been loaded` with the desired amount or" the propellant, the plate carried by the upper slide strikes the reversing switch. The reversing switch causes the air cylinder to move the slides in the opposite direction and thus, releases the force acting on the displacement rod.

The slides are then returned to the rest position. When l the pressure is released from the displacement rod, the machine valve and the container valve close under the inuence of their respective springs before the seal between the displacement head and the container is distui-bed.

When the slides reach their upper position, the upper slide strikes the limit-off switch which conditions the machine for its next cycle of operation and in this position the displacement head has been raised from engagement with the loaded container so that the loaded container may be withdrawn and a new container may be inserted in position for loading.

A mixture of one part trichloromonoiluorornethane (Freon-ll) and one part dichiorodiuoromethane (Freon-l) is commonly used as a propellant for containers of this type. Such a mixture has a vapor pressure at room temperature (70 F.) of about 40 to 50 pounds gauge. To prevent such propellant from vaporizing due to a drop in pressure as the propellant ows into the displacement cylinder during the charging of the displacement cylinder with propellant or due to any suction effect on the upstroke of the displacement rod, it has been found desirable to maintain a pressure on the propellant at its source of about pounds per square inch, or, in other words, a pressure of about twice the normal pressure required to keep the propellant in liquid form. The machine valve should thus be designed to remain closed under at least l0() pounds per square inch pressure at all times.

The pressure in the displacement cylinder is then increased to approximately 800 or 1,000 pounds per square inch by the downward movement of the displacement rod to open the machine valve and to force the propellant into the container.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made in the embodiment ot the invention illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as dened by the following claims.

f l 7 lclaim: 1. In a machineffor'; loading a pressurized container yhaving an opening therein and a valve-normally closing said opening, the combinatonofa displacement cylinder, said cylinder being movable .into and out of engagement with a container and having a discharge outlet therein, said discharge outlet communicating with a valve in the container when the cylinder-'is in engagement therewith, a displacement member mounted in the cylinder and being movable relative thereto, a valve normally closing;the discharge outlet in the cylinder, said discharge valve bcing operable to open said outlet under hydraulic pressure from within the cylinder, means for forming a seal bctween the discharge outlet andthe container valve when the cylinder is in engagement with the container, and power means connected to the displacement member for moving the cylinder into` engagement with the container valve and moving the displacement member relative to the cylinder.

2. In a machine for loading a container having an Vopening therein with a valve normally closing said opening, the combination as deiinedin claim i wherein the power means connected to the displacement member includes a pneumatically operated piston and cylinder.

3. In a machine for loading a pressurized container having an opening therein and a valve normally closing said opening, the combination of a displacement cylinder' movably mounted on a frame, said cylinder being movable into and out of engagement` with a valve controlled opening in a container and having a dischargeoutlet and an inlet therein, a displacement member mounted in the cylinder, said displacement member being movable relative to the cylinder, a check valve in the inlet to the cylinder, said check valve being arranged to admit material under pressure into the cylinder and to close said inlet upon an increase of the pressure on the material in the cylinder, a valve in the discharge outlet of the cylinder, said discharge valve normallyclosing the discharge outlet and being operable to open said outlet under the influence of hydraulic pressureresulting from movement ofthe displacement member relative to the cylinder, and means for sealing the discharge outlet to the valve controlled opening in thecontainer when the cylinder is in engagement with said opening.

4. In a machine for loading a pressurized container having a valved opening therein and a valve normally closing said opening, the combination as defined in claim 3 which includes power means connected to the displacement member for moving the cylinder into engagement with the valve controlled opening in thescontainer and moving the displacement member relative to the cylinder,

5. In a machine for'loading a pressurized container having an opening with a valve therein, the combination of a displacement cylinder, said cylinder being movable relative to a frame and having a discharge outlet therein, a displacement member mounted in the cylinder, said displacement member being movable relative to the cylinder, a valve normally closing the discharge outlet in the cylinder, said valve being operable to open said outlet under hydraulic pressure resulting from movement of the displacement member relative to the cylinder and having a flow area corresponding to a ilow area of a valve in a container, and sealing means surrounding said discharge outlet for connecting the discharge outlet in the cylinder to the valve in the container.

6. In a machine for loading a pressurized container having an opening therein and a valve normally closing said opening, the combination of a displacement cylinder, said cylinder being movable into and out of engagement with a container and having a discharge outlet therein, said outlet lcommunicating with a valve in the containers when ;the `cylinder -is in engagement therewith, a displacement member mounted in the cylinder `and being movable relative thereto, a valve-normallyl closingrthe discharge outlet in-thecylinder, said discharge `valve:beingxoperable to open'the outlet inthecylinder under'hydraulic pressure resulting from movement of thedisplacement member relative to: the: cylinder, means for .forming a seal between the discharge outlet andV the valve. inthe container whenthe displacement cylinder is in engagement with thecontainer, .and means on the discharge valve forengagingwith and opening the container valve in movementJof the discharge valve to open the discharge outlet in the cylinder.

7. In a` machine for loading a pressurized container, the combinationV as defined inclaim 6 which includes power means connected to the `displacement member for moving the displacementcylinder intoand out of engagementfwith the container and for moving the displacement member relative to -the displacement cylinder upon engagement of the cylinder with the container.

8. In a machine-for loading a container through a valve-controlled opening with a measured amount of material in liquid form, the combination of a movable cylinder containing a supply ofmaterial in liquid form and-having a discharge outlet therein, said cylinder being movable into and out ofV engagement with a container whereby the discharge outlet in the cylinder is moved-into and out of communication with a valvecontrolled opening in -the container, valve means in the cylinder normally closing the discharge outlet therein, said valve meansY being operable upon an increase of pressure onv the liquid Vmaterial in the cylinder to open said dischargey outlet, a displacement member mounted iny said cylinder and being movable therewith, said displacement member beingv movable with the cylinder in movement of the cylinder intoand out of engagement with the container and being movable relative to the cylinder for exerting pressure on the liquid material therein to open'the valve means in the discharge outlet and to displace a measured amount of said material from the cylinder'when the valve means in the discharge outlet in the cylinderis open, a stop engaging with and limiting movement of the cylinder in engagement of the cylinder with the container, and means for regulating the movement of the displacement `member relative to the cylinder when `the'cylinder is in engagement with said stop.

9. In a'machine for loadinga container, the combination as Adefined in claim 8 which includes power means connected to the displacement member for moving the cylinder into engagement'with the container andror moving the displacement member relative to the cylinder when the cylinder is in engagement with the stop.

l0. In a machine for loading acontainer, the combination as defined in claim 8 which includes means for forming a seal between the discharge outlet of the container and the valve-controlled opening of the container.

1l. In a machine for loading a container, the combination asdened in claim `8 wherein the stop engaging with and limiting movement of the cylinder is adjustable.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 687,253 Morganv Nov. 26, 1901 1,870,433 Zerk Aug. 9, 1932 1,966,854 Eskilson July 17, 1934 2,641,399 McBean June 9, 1953 2,671,590 McBeanet al. Mar. 9, 1954 

